Women’s Aid launch Legacy Brochure – A World Without Fear – on International Legacy Giving Day

Tuesday, 13th September 2022, Dublin: Today, on International Legacy Giving Day, Women’s Aid, a leading domestic violence frontline organisation, launches their legacy brochure ‘A world without fear’. International Legacy Giving Day raises awareness of leaving a legacy gift in your Will to a charity, while also honouring those who have already done so. The Women’s Aid Legacy Brochure offers a lot of valuable guidance on Wills, including the benefits of making or updating your Will and the kinds of gifts you can leave in your Will. The brochure also provides details of the services that Women’s Aid offer to women and children in crisis, and includes a timeline of Women’s Aid highlights through the decades, since the formation of Women’s Aid in 1974.

Sarah Benson, CEO, Women’s Aid, says:

“Making or updating your Will is a life-affirming decision you make in your own time, when you’re ready. I firmly believe that the act of making our Will is not about an ending. In fact it’s a vibrant continuation of our values, our love, and the things we hold dear after we’re gone. And it means we can live out all the time we’ve left – whether that’s many years or a shorter time – with the reassurance that our affairs are in order, that our loved ones have been taken care of – and that we’ve done a great deed for future generations of women and children. An end to fear.”

Women’s Aid are also a member of My Legacy, an umbrella group of eighty Irish charities working collaboratively to encourage people to consider leaving a legacy gift in their Will and to make legacy giving the norm in Ireland. September is My Legacy Month and this year’s campaign message encourages people to plant a seed, grow your legacy, leave a gift in your Will.

Ms Benson says:

“A gift in your Will to Women’s Aid could help transform the future for our daughters and granddaughters. It will help us deliver on our future-shaping strategic plan to move sooner to an Ireland where domestic violence will no longer be an epidemic of our present, but instead, a blight on a shameful past. I believe we are at a crucial moment in time. People’s awareness of domestic violence is at an all-time high and the wall of silence is slowly being torn down. More and more women are taking the brave step of coming forward and seeking help.

Ms Benson adds:

As you may already know, domestic violence doesn’t recognise class, ethnicity, age, wealth, family circumstance, or other factors. It affects all kinds of women in all kinds of economic or social situations. It will also affect one in four women in the next generation and the one after that…unless we act.”

Ms Benson continues:

“Women’s Aid would not be able to offer the crucial services we do without kind and caring people. And the needs are growing and urgent. It’s a very upsetting and frightening thought – that a neighbour of ours, a friend or family member might experience the terror of domestic violence, abuse or sinister control. But the alarming reality is that without doubt, there are women in all our lives who are trapped in that terrifying situation. And we simply don’t know it because it’s happening in secret. The good news is, we can act. That’s why Women’s Aid exists. And that’s why we are encouraging people to consider leaving a gift in their Will to Women’s Aid to support our longer-term work.”

Ailbhe Smyth, Chair, Women’s Aid adds:

“I’m in the last third of my life, so naturally, I’m thinking about the positive mark I can leave on the world. Our grandchildren face such an uncertain future clouded by huge problems like the climate crisis, war and inequality. Women’s Aid, the fantastic charity I’m honoured to chair, wants to build a future that’s safe and secure. I’m so proud that we are an organisation that’s thinking not only about women and children now – we’re also thinking about our granddaughters and the world they will inherit.”

Ms Smyth continues:

“We are shaping our legacy to strengthen and expand our supports to reach more women in danger, to build a culture of zero tolerance of domestic violence, and to make sure Ireland’s family law and criminal justice systems are the best in the world at protecting women and children from domestic violence.”

Ms Benson concludes:

“Any gift to Women’s Aid is so needed and appreciated. Whether it is the smallest donation or a significant gift of property or money – we know they are given with equal concern and a passionate intention that it will help change the future for our daughters and granddaughters. Generations of women in Ireland and their children free from fear, abuse and sinister control. That’s the power of a legacy gift.”

Anyone who would like to receive a copy of Women’s Aid’s legacy brochure, or has any questions about leaving a legacy gift in your Will, please contact Women’s Aid on 01 678 8858 or by email at legacy@womensaid.ie.

ENDS

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Caoimhe O’Connor, Strategic Communications Officer, Women’s Aid – caoimhe.oconnor@womensaid.ie | 0860652422

PHOTO: Photo attached of Ailbhe Smyth, Chair of Women’s Aid and Sarah Benson, CEO of Women’s Aid launching the new Legacy Brochure.

Notes for editors/producers:

• About Women’s Aid: Women’s Aid is a national frontline organisation working to prevent and address the impact of domestic violence and abuse including coercive control, in Ireland since 1974. We do this by advocating, influencing, training, and campaigning for effective responses to reduce the scale and impacts of domestic abuse on women and children in Ireland and providing high quality, specialised, integrated, support services. Our work includes providing the 24hr National Freephone Helpline 1800 341 900 and National Instant Message Support Service on www.womensaid.ie, mornings and evenings, 7 days a week. We also provide Face-to-Face Support and Court Support in the greater Dublin area. In addition, we have a High-Risk Support Project and Maternity Project and engage in public awareness campaigns; deliver specialised training and internal policy development and Influence Government and policy.

• There were 26,906 contacts with Women’s Aid in 2021 during which 33,831 disclosures of abuse against women and children were made.

• At least 1 in 4 women in Ireland are subjected to some form of abuse from a current or former partner. (EU Fundamental Rights Agency, Violence against women: An EU-wide survey, 2014).